Kegel: Student life is focus this year for Northern

Montana State University-Northern Chancellor Greg Kegel said this year the big-picture plan for the university is to do an overhaul on student life, adding that he hopes that this will stabilize the university through higher enrollment numbers.

By making these improvements, Kegel said, he hopes to make the students feel more comfortable and give them a better chance to succeed. He added that Northern has been making many improvements to increase its curb appeal, including building new parking lots, repairing old parking lots, improving the plaza area, fixing sidewalks, putting in security lighting and planting more than 200 new trees around campus.

Kegel said the university has also repainted and completely upgraded the exterior of Morgan Hall.

"It looks like a brand-new building right now," Kegel said.

Northern is adding many new improvements to the exterior of the college, and people are noticing, Kegel said. Students are coming up to him, he said, and telling him how Northern looks and feels like an actual university.

There is also a very active student body, he said, whose members are very engaged and very interested in doing things that are pro-Northern.

"The entire time that I have been here, we have never had one that has been more active," he said.

Just last spring, Kegel said, the students had come to him wanting to light the N, previously unlit for years, that is on the hill north of the Student Union Building. They came to him asking if they could light it up and Kegel said he was in full support of this.

"Within a couple of weeks, it's glowing, and every night it's glowing," Kegel said, adding that it was a great project for them.

The student body also led the project of improving the Frisbee golf course, he said, with the college purchasing equipment that are to official standards with signs on them. He added that, previously, the equipment was hand-made at the university.

The student body also pushed to rebuild the downstairs part of the SUB, Kegel said, adding that an open grill also has been added to the campus.

Another thing that the student body has been pushing for is the renovation of Donaldson Hall.

"I've been told by the regents that (Donaldson Commons is) the nicest room in the university system, and we want to be able to use it," Kegel said, adding that the students helped clean it up, getting the main floor ready to be used. And they are using it now, he said.

They have gone completely through the room, he said, rebuilding the kitchen and putting in new floors and cabinets.

Kegel said he plans to put a fireplace in this fall.

He said he is encouraging the student body about their work on campus because they are initiating it and they are doing it right. They are doing it with enthusiasm, with great ideas for things to improve student life, Kegel added.

A million dollar renovation project has started at the SUB, with one of the additions an elevator that will go to the third floor, he said.

He added that a good amount of developments have happened with the planned sports complex he wants to build at the practice field on the west end of campus.

"I'm pleased with the progress we've been able to make," Kegel said, adding that architects and engineers are working on a complete set of plans, the working drawings for the entire project. A meeting is planned for the first part of this month to go over them.

Kegel said he has also met recently with the Hill County commissioners about the creation of an equine center at Northern. The commissioners showed great interest in the idea and people already are moving with it.

If the center were built, Kegel said, it would increase student life.

The center will add an option under the agricultural program to give students an opportunity to do something a little different than what they had planned to do, he said, adding that a large amount of student interest for the center already has risen. It will provide more options for student life, Kegel said, and will tie into the rodeo team and its rodeo.

"There are just a lot of students that either wanted to work with a horse that they own, or with a horse," he said.

Kegel said the center will also allow more community projects with Northern, such as the possibility of a therapeutic riding activity with younger kids or the elderly. Students have already expressed great interest in both ideas, he added.

"So there is really just a lot of things that we could do with that program; we're excited about the possibilities," he said.

The center will also open up new possibilities and abilities to work with Northern Agricultural Research Center at Fort Assinniboine southwest of Havre, he said. The scientists there have an expertise in animal health and have also already begun to express interest in teaching some of the programs, Kegel said.

"A win-win for everybody," he added.

Kegel said Kelly Amtmann, the dean of Northern's new College of Health Sciences, is a great addition to the Northern campus, adding that right out of the gate she wanted to start talking about improvements and what the future of the program will look like.

"She's the right person for the job," Kegel said.

He added that there is also a new dean for the College of Technical Sciences who has an agricultural background.

"I think he's the perfect fit for that college," Kegel said.

Dave Krueger took the position this summer, taking the place of retiring Dean Larry Strizich.

Kegel said the new Diesel Technology Center is a great addition to the campus and builds on the Diesel Technology Program, adding that it is in good hands and the faculty will do a great job with it.

Kegel said the improvements around campus will enhance student life.

"As we work with the student life component, we're really, really, interested in success, Kegel said, "And what we want to do is open our doors to students and give them everything we could possibly give them so they can be successful in completing their program."